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BOTBs - Panasonic Lumix GH1

The Lumix GH1 was not my first digital camera - that accolade belongs to the Olympus_µ700 point and shoot. Nor was it my first camera bought because I'd got into photography proper, which was the Panasonic Lumix FZ50 bridge camera. And neither was it a camera bought through in-depth study and knowledge of the technical aspects of photography. What it was, though, was my first interchangeable lens camera.
Panasonic Lumix GH1
February 2010 to October 2012
~9000 shots

Why did I buy the GH1? Why not go for a DSLR from one of the established and ubiquitous firms such as Canon or Nikon? The answer to both those question lay firmly at the feet of Panasonic's graphical user interface.

My experience with the FZ50 had shown me how easy it was to navigate and find what you were looking for, so I went for more of the same. In addition, I wanted a 10x zoom, just like I had with my FZ50 - the superzoom range on that had made it the perfect travel camera for my trip to China in 2008. The chap I spoke to at Park Cameras informed be that the Panasonic Lumix G Vario HD 14-140mm F4-5.8 OIS lens that came as a kit lens with the Lumix GH1 was a 10x zoom, and like that, I was sold.

A friend of mine was, at the time, toting around a Canon 5D MkII, and I instantly became aware at just how small the GH1 was to other cameras. Smaller, yet no less capable of producing a compelling image. For it was during my ownership of the GH1 where I joined a local camera club, and many of the photos below were submitted to (and did quite well in) competitions.

So without further ado, here are my hand-picked Top Ten GH1 Shots:

VeniceTokyo
TokyoOsaka
LondonKelvedon Hatch
FindonDover
DoverLondon


Back to Best of the bodies.

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